The Heir of Camelot
by AlleyCAT19
Summary: AU of Season 5 ending. Less than a year after defeating Morgana and Mordred, Arthur and Gwen welcome a baby girl named Elizabeth. Months later, she is kidnapped, leaving them devastated. A chain of events brings Elizabeth back to them, but will this long-lost princess be able to adjust to palace life after so long? Follow her adventures in my take of a season 6.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Princess of Camelot, Part 1**

 _ **A/N Warning: Mentions of child abuse to follow, so I apologize in advance.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. Rights belong to BBC.**_

 _In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a brave man. His name: Merlin._

Camelot was in a complete uproar; a mysterious cloaked figure had broken into the royal nursery and taken the heir to the throne, six-month-old Princess Elizabeth. The kidnapper might have gotten away had Merlin, the court sorcerer, not noticed that Elizabeth was missing from her crib. Alarms went off, and soon everyone in the citadel and town knew something was very wrong.

"Someone took Elizabeth." Merlin explained to his best friend Arthur, who happened to be the king.

Arthur didn't need to be told twice. Though he suspected that there would be kidnapping attempts because of her status as his heir, he believed that she was safe between Merlin and the knights.

"How could this have happened…? We took every precaution." Arthur said as they ran toward the gates.

"I know, Arthur. I put up the protection, remember? The only thing I can figure is that whoever took Elizabeth also has magic." Merlin said.

Arthur frowned. Even though magic was now legal within Camelot, he and Merlin had made it their mission to keep those who use magic for evil purposes in check. The fact that someone possibly with magic kidnapped Arthur's daughter raised red flags immediately. Was it revenge for those years when magic was illegal under his earlier years as king? Or was it something else? Arthur wasn't sure. All he focused on was getting his daughter back and taking the person who took her into custody.

When they got to the gate, they found several knights knocked against a wall. Some were just coming to, while others remained unconscious. Thankfully, no one had been killed. Arthur went over to Sir Leon, a knight who had fought alongside him for many years.

"There was a man….holding a bundle that was likely Elizabeth. He used magic to knock us out of his way. He went north." Leon said, holding his head in pain.

As Arthur and Merlin ran to go catch up with the man, their target changed his course to west, hoping to lose track of anyone who followed him from Camelot. He knew the risks he was taking but didn't care. He had a job to do, and it would be done, even if it meant getting his hands dirty.

The little princess hadn't stirred at all, sleeping peacefully in his arms. Just when he believed he was in the clear, he heard shouting and footsteps. Somehow, the king and Merlin and caught up to him. He knew he was in trouble at this point, but kept on running. Unfortunately, he failed to secure the baby, and he lost her in the chase.

When Arthur found out the man no longer had his daughter, he had knights scour the area for her. Sadly, there was no trace of her anywhere. She had vanished completely.

"You are a traitor to your kind by serving him, Emrys." The man said to Merlin.

"The only traitor here is you." Merlin stated simply.

He walked closer to the restrained man and placed his hand on the man's forehead, removing his magic. Merlin had learned about this power a year ago and used it only when absolutely necessary. He left the man in a cell and walked away, upset that he had been unable to save Arthur's daughter.

 _ **Nine years later**_

A small barefoot girl ran through a village on the outskirts of Camelot, being pursued by a farmer. The village was small, known only for its fishing and some farming. The girl, Lena as she was called, was known in the village as a little thief. Though she only stole what she needed to survive, it didn't improve anything in how the villagers saw her. She was seen as an abomination, with many attempts on her life by the people who once welcomed her with open arms.

Lena was found abandoned as a baby and taken in by a couple who had no children of their own. Things were great at first, but when she turned five, life for her took a turn for the worse. She learned she had magic and accidentally used it in public. Though magic was legal even on the outskirts of Camelot's territory, the villagers had never forgotten the old ways and continued persecuting those with magic, with their magistrate's permission. When Lena revealed her magic, the attempts on her life began. Her parents turned on her, and so did the rest of the village. Lena couldn't help how she was, but even so she was still considered an abomination and was blamed for everything that went wrong in the village. She became known as The Witch, and no one called her by her real name anymore.

The farmer was hot on her tail, but the chase was in vain. Lena was very fast, and quickly outran him. She smirked, returning to her cave home on the outskirts. She piled the stolen vegetables in a corner and began roasting some over the fire she made using her magic. She sighed, wishing that she didn't have to hide from other people. She was a good person, but the villagers only saw her as an evil witch. As bad as things were for her, they were about to improve, even if she didn't know it yet.

 _Camelot_

Merlin looked at his best friend from a distance. Since losing his daughter nine years to the day, Arthur just hadn't been the same. He no longer left the castle, leaving his wife Gwen to make all the public appearances. Arthur spent most of his time on the throne brooding. He had also let himself go as far as physical appearance; his golden hair was often messy and had grown out to his shoulders, and on his face was the beginning of a bushy beard. Though barely 40, he looked closer to possibly 50. It hurt Merlin to see his friend so distraught, but as there were absolutely no leads on Elizabeth's whereabouts, the search was called off. Arthur's final decree had been that no one in the castle was permitted to say Elizabeth's name. The penalty was time in the stocks.

Merlin sighed and walked over to Arthur.

"Come on Arthur. It's a beautiful day." Merlin said, trying to get Arthur up. He did this a lot, especially during the summer, but Arthur wasn't in the mood.

"No." He said.

"Well at least come with me. There's a village on the outskirts where a child with magic is rumored to live." Merlin began.

"You can go without me. Besides, if the rumors are true, he or she will be your protégé, not mine." Arthur said.

Merlin shrugged. "Alright. I'll be back...sometime later I guess." He said, leaving the throne room.

Merlin had been excited about getting a protégé ever since Arthur said he could a few years back. Merlin's problem was that children with magical abilities were hard to find. Most were already in training with the druids, and he had decided that he would only take a child. The decision had severely limited his choices, but he knew a child would be easier to train. When he heard the rumors of a child with magic in a border village, he was anxious to meet the child. He hoped that taking her to Camelot wouldn't be an issue for her parents, like it had been for any other child he found. He took his horse from the stables and rode off for the village, thinking only of the child he hoped to find.

Merlin arrived in the outskirts of the village by midday. The village reminded him of his own village, seeing that the two were set up very similarly. There were people going about their business, but it didn't take long for him to notice that there were few children in the village. He decided to speak to the magistrate, hoping he might know about the child.

"I'm afraid we don't have any children here with magic, Lord Merlin." The magistrate said politely.

"Are you sure? I've heard the stories…" Merlin began, getting cut off.

"I'm positive. We lost many children to a sickness several years ago, and none of our remaining children have magic." The magistrate answered.

"Oh...alright then…" Merlin said, turning to leave. He had the feeling that the magistrate was hiding something, but had no way to prove it.

He then thought to explore the area around the village. As he walked, he knew someone was following him. He walked a little more, then turned around.

"I know you're there." He said.

He saw a pair of gold eyes looking at him from behind a tree. When the person realized they had been caught, they retreated.

"I won't hurt you." Merlin promised.

A small girl stepped out from behind the tree. She was dirty from head to toe, and had multiple cuts and bruises. Her brown hair was a dirty mess as well, sticking out everywhere. Her gray dress was nothing but rags, with patches crudely sewn on. She was also barefoot.

"I'm Merlin. What's your name?" He asked, getting down to her level.

"I'm Lena, but most people call me a witch." She said.

He saw her gold eyes, which hadn't stopped glowing since he saw her.

"So the rumors were true...you are the child with magic, aren't you?" He asked.

She shook her head in denial. "I'm not." She said.

"I swore I wouldn't hurt you. I'm like you." He said, doing a simple spell to prove it. Lena's eyes widened.

"I've heard of you. You're the Court Sorcerer under King Arthur, right?" She asked.

"That's right." He said.

"Wanna come over to my house?" She asked suddenly. Merlin nodded, ready to meet her parents and accuse them of obvious child abuse.

He expected to be lead back to the village, but was instead lead to a cave. There was a fire pit in the middle of the ground, ready to be lit at night when necessary. There was a collection of fruits and vegetables in a corner, along with what looked like a couple of blankets making a sort of bed. Lena had also taken a loaf of bread and was eating it greedily.

"You stole from the villagers?" He asked.

"It's that or starve. They don't care about me anyway." She said while eating.

"What about your parents? Surely they care about you.

Lena scoffed. "My parents? I don't have any parents, and my real parents abandoned me as a baby. Guess they didn't like the idea of having a daughter with magic either. I'm nothing but a burden wherever I go. And...well let's just say these villagers don't trust people like us." She said uneasily.

"What do they do to people like us?" He asked, fearing the answer.

"...They kill us. There was a lady I was learning from for a while. This cave used to be hers, actually. About two years ago, she was captured and publicly burned at the stake. After that, I became more careful and only enter the village when I need to. I've only lived this long because I'm too fast for people and they don't know where this cave is." Lena explained.

Merlin was horrified that something so horrible was still happening in Camelot territory.

"Public burnings of those practicing magic has been illegal for ten years." He said.

"I know, but the people still do it. The magistrate gives them permission to. I guess this village suffered a lot. But basically, whenever something goes wrong, I'm the one they blame. I only stay here because I don't have anywhere else to go." She said sadly.

"How would you like to come to Camelot and learn from me?" Merlin offered.

Lena's eyes lit up happily. "I'd like that very much!" She said smiling.

"Alright. I'll come for you tomorrow. Make sure you have everything you want to bring packed up, and try to stay out of trouble." Merlin ordered. She nodded in agreement.

He returned to Camelot to tell Arthur all that Lena had told him about the village. Something needed to be done about the way the village was run, and only Arthur had that authority. He just hoped he could convince Arthur to come.

 _A/N First Merlin fanfic…this has been a long time coming. This is of course an AU since Arthur died in Season 5, but this is basically my take on a Season 6 had Arthur lived. I promise I will have an "episode" dedicated to flashbacks of Arthur's survival and even Elizabeth's birth. I have so far one season planned out, containing 13 chapters like the series did. I will continue past that season though if this turns out to be a success_ _anyway please review! Constructive criticism is welcome._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Princess of Camelot, Part 2**

 _ **A/N Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. Basic plot belongs to BBC.**_

 _In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a brave man. His name: Merlin._

Merlin was back in Camelot by nightfall. He went straight to the throne room, knowing Arthur would still be there. Arthur saw the look on his friend's face when he entered and looked concerned, getting up from the throne.

"What's wrong, Merlin? Did you not find the child?" He asked.

"I found her. Her name is Lena. But that isn't the issue here. The village she lives outside of is poorly run." Merlin said.

"What's happening in the village?" Arthur asked.

"The villagers are continuing to burn people with magic at the stake with their magistrate's permission. Lena has been abused as well, but has been able to survive. The village turned on her the moment her magic was revealed." Merlin said.

Arthur growled angrily. When he legalized magic, he went around to all the villages to make sure they weren't continuing burning innocent people. Apparently, he had somehow missed one, or the village thought that the law was irrelevant to them as they are a border village. Either way, this had to be stopped.

"Did you bring Lena with you?" Arthur asked.

Merlin shook his head. "No. I told her I'd come for her tomorrow." He said.

"I'll come with you. Seems there are people to arrest and replace." He said.

Merlin nodded, happy that Arthur would finally be leaving the castle. Arthur had that spirit in his eyes that Merlin hadn't seen in years.

 _The next day_

Arthur and Merlin set out the next morning with three knights to perform the necessary arrests. When they arrived outside the village, all they could smell was smoke.

"You don't think…?" Merlin began, afraid of what they may find.

"Only one way to find out." Arthur said.

The men all entered the village and found the townsfolk gathered in the center. They could see a bonfire and a long pole. Tied to the pole by thick ropes was Lena, too weak to free herself. She was bleeding heavily from new wounds, likely received just before her capture. Somehow they had captured her, and Merlin was cursing himself as he was likely the reason she got caught.

"This wasn't your fault." Arthur said reassuringly.

"They may have seen me leave her cave...this was my fault." Merlin said.

"Let's just focus on freeing her. You untie her and stop the fire from burning while I confront the people." Arthur said.

Merlin jumped into the fire and used his magic to douse the flames. He then cut the ropes on Lena and carried her out. Arthur confronted the people, outraged that they did this to anyone, let alone a child.

"King Arthur!" Someone in the crowd shouted. All eyes fell on Arthur, who now stood atop the pile of logs.

"Burning an innocent at the stake is illegal." He said simply.

"That witch is not innocent! She has been nothing but trouble since she arrived!" Another protested.

"I now relieve you of her, but this village requires new leadership as well. Seize the magistrate." He ordered. Two knights took the magistrate and his second in command.

"Now then...who here are Lena's parents?" Arthur asked, looking around the crowd.

A couple stepped forward. Both had dark hair and eyes and wore simple clothes. They had tried to hide in the crowd but found it impossible.

"I would like you to tell me about her...at your house." He said. They nodded and lead him to a small cottage.

The wife looked at Arthur. "Lena...isn't ours. We couldn't have children. One night, when I was out bringing in the laundry, I heard a baby crying nearby. I found her and we raised her as our own." She explained.

"Until you learned she has magic." Arthur said.

"Yes….honestly though she looked out of place, even as an abandoned baby. She wore a pretty nightgown and cap, and was wrapped in a blanket that I assume was made of silk." She continued.

This got Arthur's attention. Elizabeth had had a red silk blanket that Gwen wove not long after she was born. She even embroidered Elizabeth's full name on the blanket. Merlin had placed a spell on it to keep it from ever wearing out. If this couple had the blanket, they too would be arrested.

"Do you still have the blanket?" He asked.

"I believe so." The woman said, going to a chest in the room.

She pulled out the blanket and gave it to Arthur. It looked as new as the day it was made, though a bit dirty. He assumed the couple was illiterate, otherwise they would have known they had Elizabeth. He clutched the blanket in his hands, ordering another knight to arrest the couple.

"What did we do?" The husband asked confused.

"You harmed your future queen." Arthur said angrily.

Their eyes widened in horror. The wife began to cry as they were lead out of their cottage. Arthur went over to Merlin, who was tending to Lena, now revealed to be Elizabeth.

"What was that about?" Merlin asked.

"This village attempted to kill their future queen." Arthur said, gritting his teeth angrily.

"You mean she's…? How do you know?" Merlin asked.

"They had Elizabeth's blanket." Arthur said, not wanting to say more.

Merlin looked down at the young princess. "I've treated what I can of her wounds, but we really need to get her back to Gaius." He said.

Arthur nodded, and they departed immediately. The knights had their prisoners, and locked them up upon arrival. Elizabeth was brought straight to Gaius. When they arrived, she had developed a fever from infected wounds, which Gaius worked quickly to bring down. Merlin helped in further healing while Arthur watched. He saw she was the perfect blend of him and Gwen. Her skin was slightly tanned, and she definitely had Gwen's face. He didn't get to see her eyes, but he remembered they were blue like his. He also remembered her having blond hair as opposed to brown, but figured it might have darkened as she got older.

Gaius and Merlin worked on Elizabeth for several hours. She slept peacefully through the entire thing thanks to a sleeping draft that Gaius gave her. Once her wounds were all cleaned and bandaged, she was moved into one of the many royal suites. The room would officially become hers once she knew the truth, but that had to wait until she was actually awake. Arthur stayed by her side, stubbornly refusing to leave. He pulled up a chair by her bedside and slept there all night long. Merlin left the two alone, returning to his own room.

Elizabeth woke up early the next morning, feeling sore all over. She remembered being captured by the villagers, but not much beyond that. She swore she saw Merlin and King Arthur, but wasn't sure that she hadn't just imagined that. She knew she wasn't dead, but she didn't know what to make of the splendid room she was in. It was nothing compared to her cave; everything was neat and tidy, with shades of red everywhere, even on the bedsheets. The room was very large, large enough for a full wardrobe, table with two chairs, a vanity, and shade for changing clothes. It was also very spacious. The room was so splendid in fact that Elizabeth was convinced she must be dreaming. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she was unaware that there was another person in the room with her.

Arthur, who had been sleeping against the side of the bed while sitting in the chair, felt movement in the sheets and woke up, finding Elizabeth was awake. Blue eyes met blue eyes as father and daughter saw one another for the first time in nine years. Elizabeth had no idea yet of course, but she soon would.

She squeaked, realizing the king was in the room.

"Y-your majesty!" she exclaimed.

He sighed, deciding to play along. He was unsure how to break the news that she was his daughter.

"Hello, Lena. Welcome to Camelot." He said kindly.

"I'm in Camelot….? What happened to me? Last thing I remember was being tied up and a fire surrounding me." She said.

"The village has been punished for how they treated you and everyone else who has magic." Arthur explained.

She nods. "I see…." She said.

He hesitated a moment before deciding to break the news to her through a story. He tells her about the day his child was taken from him. He holds up the silk blanket that he still had with him.

"This was stolen with her." He explained.

Her eyes widened "I've seen that before…in…in their house many times." She said, not wanting to call them her parents.

"It's yours, Elizabeth." He said, finally using her real name.

"What….? Then…that's how I ended up in that village? I was so sure I was abandoned…." She said.

"Your mother and I would never have abandoned you." Arthur assured her.

She smiled as tears of joy ran down her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, not wanting to let go. He returned the hug, crying as well. He had his little girl back, and he would never lose her again.

Meanwhile, a girl named Avalon, who lived at the castle as Arthur's ward, made her daily break for freedom. She felt trapped at the castle, but was caught each time. The raven-haired girl pouted, hating the restrictions.

Her father was the castle's most important prisoner, but she couldn't help him at all, even with magic of her own. So what if her father kidnapped the firstborn princess? The king didn't know the real reason her father did it, but she did. Her mother had died not long after she was born, so her father took any paying jobs he could in order to support her. His last job happened to be a kidnapping, which failed miserably. Four-month-old Avalon had been found tucked away in her father's robes and was immediately made Arthur's ward. Avalon knew who her father was, as Arthur made no attempts to hide the fact. Arthur's actions against her father lead to the beginning of her daily escape. She was brought back each time, growing more and more frustrated. No matter where she went, she could never escape the king and his sorcerer.

Avalon's only friend was Wendolyn, the king's often forgotten six-year-old daughter. The little girl was bitter at being ignored by her father. After her older sister went missing, Arthur didn't want any more children, but one drunken night with Gwen changed that. Gwen was the only one who went out of her way to see their youngest, but even so, the little girl was often alone. She kept to herself in her room, having all her meals delivered directly to her room. It was this mutual dislike of Arthur that led Avalon and Wendolyn to become friends. Whenever Avalon was brought back from her daily escapes, she went to go spend time with Wendolyn.

When Wendolyn noticed that Avalon was later than usual, she poked her head out of her room. She saw two maids leading a mysterious dirty girl to a washroom. Arthur saw his younger daughter and went over to her.

"Father, who is that girl with the maids?" She asked, a serious tone in her voice. She was way too serious for a six year old.

"She is your sister." He said.

"That's impossible….you said yourself she was dead." Wendolyn said.

"I was wrong." He said calmly.

"Lucky me." Wendolyn said sarcastically, going back to her room.

Arthur sighed. He knew his relationship with Wendolyn was practically non-existent. He was even convinced that she only called him father as a formality and nothing more. Now that Elizabeth was back in their lives, he vowed to establish a bond with both of his girls. He wanted to be a proper father, no matter how hard it would be.

 _A/N that finishes episode 2! Next episodes will be Elizabeth adjusting to her new life and meeting new people, as well as introducing the new villain. I'm not giving a name yet, but I promise to reveal them very soon. Hope you guys enjoyed part 1 and 2! Once again, constructive criticism is welcomed._


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